FC Barcelona Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Slash/ED · 10-11-2009 4:21pm

Yaya going would be awful news. He's almost of equal importance in the Toure-Xavi-Iniesta axis as the other two.

gimmick · 10-11-2009 4:51pm

Agreed. Yaya showed in the latter 3rd of last season exactly how important he is to Barcelona. An unsung hero of the highest degree.

In reality I think that Guardiola is just rotating his squad and keeping Toure fully fit for the crucial middle 3rd of this season.

CantGetNoSleep · 10-11-2009 9:52pm

Not sure if I disagree as much as other posters re Robinho, he was genuinely class in the first half of last season for Man City, and attitude problems aside, he would fit right in to our style of play

The one thing I would worry about is money, ie where are we getting it from, we shelled out the best part of €80m in the summer without recouping any significant amount? Given that we have no benefactors I hope the club isn't going into debt to sign players when they aren't really needed

redout · 10-11-2009 10:06pm

Barca have made a small fortune off the back off last seasons treble.

gimmick · 10-11-2009 10:32pm

Anyone watch Revista earlier? The presenter (can never remember his name) totally over exaggerrating the current "crisis". Constantly said Barcas passage to the last 16 of the CL is in serious doubt, as if it was out of their hands. I do not understand it.

Barca may not be as rampant as 12 months ago but are still scoring freely enough, and not conceding an awful lot either. Top of the league and progress to the last 16 in their own hands. I dunno.....

redout · 10-11-2009 11:20pm

gimmick wrote: »

Anyone watch Revista earlier? The presenter (can never remember his name) totally over exaggerrating the current "crisis". Constantly said Barcas passage to the last 16 of the CL is in serious doubt, as if it was out of their hands. I do not understand it.

Barca may not be as rampant as 12 months ago but are still scoring freely enough, and not conceding an awful lot either. Top of the league and progress to the last 16 in their own hands. I dunno.....

Champions league qualification is not a sure thing though. Inter as with any Mourinho team will be hard to beat. Rubin arent half bad and more or less have the Russian league sewn up with a 5 point lead. Barca also have the last game away in Kiev. I think its a tough ask to be honest. I would fancy Rubin to beat Kiev at home and grab a point away to Inter in the final group game which would require maximum points for Barca.

flahavaj · 11-11-2009 1:14am

Slash/ED wrote: »

Yaya going would be awful news. He's almost of equal importance in the Toure-Xavi-Iniesta axis as the other two.

He's be a sensational signing for United.

I LOL'ed when I read his agent say he wouldn't sign for City, he'd only leave Barca for an "important" club.:pac:

redout · 11-11-2009 1:28am

flahavaj wrote: »

He's be a sensational signing for United.

.:pac:

United dont need another combative midfielder. What they need is a creative midfielder because they dont have any. Scholes is past it and Anderson is just not good enough. Fabregas FTW!

gimmick · 11-11-2009 11:00am

redout wrote: »

Champions league qualification is not a sure thing though. Inter as with any Mourinho team will be hard to beat. Rubin arent half bad and more or less have the Russian league sewn up with a 5 point lead. Barca also have the last game away in Kiev. I think its a tough ask to be honest. I would fancy Rubin to beat Kiev at home and grab a point away to Inter in the final group game which would require maximum points for Barca.

Well and good, but that doesn't make qualification "doubtful". Barca performed excellently toward the end of last season when their backs were to the wall. I think enough points will be gathered to assure progress, and by that I mean 2 wins

Re Toure. Just thinking about it - he has started in all the "big" games Barca have played this season, so his agent can have no real complaints.

eZe^ · 11-11-2009 12:43pm

Messi won the Alfredo Di Stefano trophy for the best player last season. Di Stefano will be presenting the trophy to him apparently... Brilliant!!

redout · 11-11-2009 1:46pm

gimmick wrote: »

Well and good, but that doesn't make qualification "doubtful". Barca performed excellently toward the end of last season when their backs were to the wall. I think enough points will be gathered to assure progress, and by that I mean 2 wins

I think 2 wins will be required to guarantee qualification. Pep said the exact same thing after the Rubin game. I just see it as a tough task with games against Inter then Kiev away given current form. There can be no complacency or its disaster. Also the fact Barca are hardly playing at their best regardless of Peps nonsense statement last week that "we are playing better than last season" although probably out of context nonetheless.

I reckon Inter are to good a team to allow a below par Barca to beat them. Is it a coincidence the only two top class teams Barca have faced this season (Valencia, Inter (not counting Atletico 18th and just one win!) has failed to produce a single goal? I dont doubt the team just their form needs to be upped. Liverpool are an example of how a big club with below par form can be punished in Europe's elite competition.

redout · 11-11-2009 2:38pm

Comaprison
After 10 league and 4 Champions leagues games 08/09 - 09/10

2008/2009

La liga:

for: 34

against: 8

Champions league:

for: 11

against: 3

Total:

for: 45

against: 11

2009/2010

La liga:

for: 28

against: 7

Champions league:

for: 3

against: 2

Total:

for: 31

against: 9

In summary far less goals scored but also less conceded than at the same point of last. The team are also one point better off this year in la liga but fives points worse off in the Champions league.

redout · 11-11-2009 3:18pm

Alcorcons reward for beating Real is a tie with Barca in the next round.

Oh what could have been.

Lollers

Slash/ED · 11-11-2009 6:46pm

I think Barca are playing alot better recently, just haven't had a lot of luck. Henry's only back, Iniesta's not been able to play in mid field yet. I'm really not worried at all and see no reason why they wont be favourites for all competitions this year, though the champions league will be a real test alright

eZe^ · 11-11-2009 6:53pm

The thing I'm most worried about this year is squad depth in particular areas. If we upfront we really only have Pedro, Messi, Ibra, Henry, and Bojan. And you need at least one of Messi, Ibra, Henry in there for each game to ensure there's an attacking threat. Instead of getting Robinho I'd love Mata from Valencia, be awesome to see the Madrid Castilla product start playing well for the blaugrana!

Also, at RB we have only Alves/ Puyol, which means once Alves is injured the entire back 4 gets shifted. Chygrinsky, Pique, Marquez, Puyol are or CB, with Marquez looking like calamity sam, and Chyg still getting used to things, we only have one real top class CB pairing. Abidal/ Toure have been known to play CB, but I hope Chygrinsky starts settling in well soon for the sake of the team.

In midfield we are grand, as long as one of Iniesta/ Xavi is fit, because you only need one of them coupled with two of Keita/ Busquets/ Toure for our midfield to be balanced.

keane2097 · 11-11-2009 8:20pm

gimmick wrote: »

In reality I think that Guardiola is just rotating his squad and keeping Toure fully fit for the crucial middle 3rd of this season.

For the African Nations Cup like?

Instant Karma · 11-11-2009 8:24pm

eZe^ wrote: »

The thing Instead of getting Robinho I'd love Mata from Valencia, be awesome to see the Madrid Castilla product start playing well for the blaugrana!

I've seen a few reports which suggest that it's Robinho who is keen on the move to Barca and that Pep Guardiola isn't too interested in him

gimmick · 11-11-2009 10:38pm

keane2097 wrote: »

For the African Nations Cup like?

No, we are in the middle third now. And for the World Club Cup. Plus the ACON is only 3 weeks in January.

eZe^ · 12-11-2009 3:27pm

Gourcuff is all up in our grill with admiration.

Bordeaux midfielder Yoann Gourcuff has declared that his dream team is Barcelona but admitted that he feels he is still some way off the level needed to play for the European champions.

The 23-year-old France international said the Blaugrana is the best team in the world and has been for fifteen years and praised their style of football, which he feels he is close to matching.

"In the last ten or fifteen years they have been best team in football in my opinion. It is great that they confirmed this with victory in the Champions League. All players on this team should feel a tremendous joy of playing football together. It is the best team right now," he said, according to El Mundo Deportivo.

"I'm still far from being able to join Barcelona, especially with their current midfield. But in the approach to the style of play, I'm pretty close."

"The truth is that gives me great pleasure to see players like Xavi, who are in constant motion, giving, offering ... That's exactly what I like about football."

Wouldn't say no to him tbh.

redout · 12-11-2009 5:16pm

eZe^ wrote: »

Gourcuff is all up in our grill with admiration.

Wouldn't say no to him tbh.

Where would he fit in but ?

Fabregas is a certainty be it next summer or whatnot.

CHD · 12-11-2009 5:19pm

redout wrote: »

Where would he fit in but ?

Fabregas is a certainty be it next summer or whatnot.

You think Fabregas is a certainty to join Barca?

Frisbee · 12-11-2009 5:23pm

CHD wrote: »

You think Fabregas is a certainty to join Barca?

He is tbf, maybe not this summer, maybe not the next, but sometime in the next few years he'll be at Barca.

eZe^ · 12-11-2009 5:28pm

redout wrote: »

Where would he fit in but ?

Fabregas is a certainty be it next summer or whatnot.

CHD wrote: »

You think Fabregas is a certainty to join Barca?

Frisbee wrote: »

He is tbf, maybe not this summer, maybe not the next, but sometime in the next few years he'll be at Barca.

Relax lads, Barca'll just be a team of nothing but midfielders.

Valdes

Fabregas

Xavi----Toure

Keita----Gourcuff---Iniesta

Messi

Henry

Ibrahimovic----Pedro

Who says it won't work? Best midfield of all time right there...

Frisbee · 12-11-2009 5:34pm

eZe^ wrote: »

Relax lads, Barca'll just be a team of nothing but midfielders.
Valdes
Fabregas
Xavi----Toure
Keita----Gourcuff---Iniesta
Messi
Henry
Ibrahimovic----Pedro

Who says it won't work? Best midfield of all time right there...

Fabregas will play for Barca eZe^, he's expressed a desire to do so plenty of times. He's Xavi Mk II, so it all depends on how long Xavi keeps playing. Which with his style, should be ages, but Fab moving to Barca is an inevability imo.

redout · 12-11-2009 11:38pm

Real winger hoping to make El Clasico

Cristiano Ronaldo is desperate to face Barcelona and has set his sights on an imminent return to action.

The Real Madrid winger is currently sidelined with an ankle injury, with the problem initially picked up while on UEFA Champions League duty against Marseille.

He then aggravated the injury while playing for Portugal in October and has been prevented from playing ever since.

The reigning World Player of the Year has missed crucial domestic and European fixtures for Real, while he is also set to sit out Portugal's World Cup qualifying play-off against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Ronaldo is, however, making steady progress in his return to full match fitness and admits he is hoping to be back in action in time for Real's 'El Clasico' encounter with arch-rivals Barca on 29th November.

"Everything is going very well, I have started running again and I think I will start training with the team next week," he said.

"Of course I want to play against Barcelona, but I want to play again before then."

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11827_5691679,00.html

Hope to christ he recovers in time because I am going to this :P

redout · 16-11-2009 12:49am

Haha, I know you......

redout · 16-11-2009 1:02am

According to the Catalan press Abidal was seemingly injured against Ireland last night and returned to Barca today. He will not play on wednesday. I havent heard that anywhere else.

eZe^ · 16-11-2009 1:02am

Busquets really gave Messi the Gatusso treatment in that game. Iniesta was an absolute class act, involved in everything good for Spain imo, the key ingredient for that first goal too. He he had like a 1,2,3,4 pass that was beautiful.

kinaldo · 16-11-2009 1:04am

redout wrote: »

Haha, I know you......

Those new kits for Argentina and Spain are probably the nicest in world football.

kinaldo · 16-11-2009 1:15am

Four Argentine players trying to stop Iniesta...

Slash/ED · 16-11-2009 1:34am

Haha that's almsot like this, my favourite football photo ever...

Iniesta really is some kind of genius, I wish I could have watched that Spain Argentina game actually I'd say the football was great to watch

kinaldo · 16-11-2009 1:44am

Slash/ED wrote: »

Haha that's almsot like this, my favourite football photo ever...

Iniesta really is some kind of genius, I wish I could have watched that Spain Argentina game actually I'd say the football was great to watch

OMG I was just thinking of that exact image too!!! I have it in my World Cup 90 sticker collection!!! What an iconic image of el Diego that is.

Incidently, here are some good highlights...

Fantastic goal line hand ball clearance from Coloccini! Clearly he has been practicing with Steven Taylor!!

Sr. Pirotecnic · 16-11-2009 12:01pm

Of course that's a great photo of Maradona but it does take away from it a bit that the Belgians were breaking off from a defensive wall rather than queueing up to have a go at Diego.

redout · 16-11-2009 6:16pm

Looks like Abidal is out for 3 weeks and likely to miss the Inter game followed by the Clasico 3 days later.

redout · 16-11-2009 6:29pm

Messi has just be awarded the Onze d'Or. No doubt the Ballon d'Or and Fifa world player awards to follow.

JP Liz · 16-11-2009 6:30pm

Scans carried out on Monday have confirmed the original diagnosis of the French FA. Abidal has damaged his left thigh muscle and may be out for up to three weeks.

However, Club doctors will be working flat out to try and have the French defender fit in time for the match against Real Madrid.

Abidal played the full 90 minutes of France’s first leg 1-0 away win over Ireland in the World Cup qualifying playoffs.

Aidric · 16-11-2009 6:31pm

JP Liz wrote: »

Scans carried out on Monday have confirmed the original diagnosis of the French FA. Abidal has damaged his left thigh muscle and may be out for up to three weeks.

However, Club doctors will be working flat out to try and have the French defender fit in time for the match against Real Madrid.

Abidal played the full 90 minutes of France’s first leg 1-0 away win over Ireland in the World Cup qualifying playoffs.

copying and pasting to the wrong thread?

JPA · 16-11-2009 6:35pm

Aidric wrote: »

copying and pasting to the wrong thread?

He's a Barcelona player no?

Frisbee · 17-11-2009 11:54pm

Just out of curiosity who is Barca's back up LB now that Sylvinho is gone?

Does Maxwell get a game or do they just move Puyol out left and throw Marquez/Milito/Chygyrniminmopblah (new guy whose name I cant remember) in the middle?

CantGetNoSleep · 17-11-2009 11:59pm

I'd like to see Maxwell get a game, although against Ronaldo it will be tough

eZe^ · 18-11-2009 12:15am

Frisbee wrote: »

Just out of curiosity who is Barca's back up LB now that Sylvinho is gone?

Does Maxwell get a game or do they just move Puyol out left and throw Marquez/Milito/Chygyrniminmopblah (new guy whose name I cant remember) in the middle?

Abidal and Maxwell are the natural LB's in the team. Then there's Muniesa from the B's that can play there. Puyol I guess kind of could, but we're fine there with two good LB's in Eric and Maxwell.

Frisbee · 18-11-2009 12:17am

eZe^ wrote: »

Abidal and Maxwell are the natural LB's in the team. Then there's Muniesa from the B's that can play there. Puyol I guess kind of could, but we're fine there with two good LB's in Eric and Maxwell.

So with Abidal injured you expect Maxwell to just slot straight in then?

eZe^ · 18-11-2009 12:20am

Frisbee wrote: »

So with Abidal injured you expect Maxwell to just slot straight in then?

100% no doubt about it. He has played a few games this season, he's perfect for home games against weak enough opposition because he is a very capable attacker. I'd be worried about him against C. Ronaldo though. Great back up to have though.

Frisbee · 18-11-2009 12:26am

eZe^ wrote: »

100% no doubt about it. He has played a few games this season, he's perfect for home games against weak enough opposition because he is a very capable attacker. I'd be worried about him against C. Ronaldo though. Great back up to have though.

I'd definitely rate him as a prospect too.

Just I haven't seen much La Liga this season since the demise of the dodgy box and the need to spend Sunday evenings doing college work so wasn't sure if he'd had much game time.

gimmick · 18-11-2009 10:21am

Ronaldo running at Maxwell fills me with fear. he has been extremely poor anytime he has played this season. It really makes me wonder why the extra mile was not gone to get Felipe. I know Pep did not want to be held to ransom, but then he since Chrgy for way over the odds.

eZe^ · 20-11-2009 1:29am

gimmick wrote: »

Ronaldo running at Maxwell fills me with fear. he has been extremely poor anytime he has played this season. It really makes me wonder why the extra mile was not gone to get Felipe. I know Pep did not want to be held to ransom, but then he since Chrgy for way over the odds.

Ah I wouldn't necessarily agree with that at all. Maxwell has been hit and miss, he just moved to a brand new club, and has been used sparingly, you can hardly expect him to be perfect every game he plays. He was fantastic against Zaragoza (I think it was them anyway), was a complete nightmare down the left hand side.

I know Thierry Henry isn't the most popular character right now, so I'll leave that discussion out really, but it'll be good to have him, Messi, and Ibra back as the front 3 for Barca. Especially with vital games coming up against Inter and Real.

Not liking all this talk linking us with Mascherano, he is not what we need at all, and I think his inclusion in the starting XI will be like taking 1 step forward and 4 back. He will be better at harassing players, and taking the likes of Kaka out of a game, but he won't be able to dribble or distribute the ball as well as Yaya. And ultimately being comfortable on the ball is pretty much the most important thing when you play for Barca.

And to indulge any Ibrahype haters out there, here's another clip that only serves to prove the fact that he is only good on youtube clips;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYfJ43qKaJk

Hahah, the classy goliath!

Frisbee · 20-11-2009 2:42pm

Hadn't seen that before

What a ball, great vision and perfect execution.

fillmore jive · 20-11-2009 2:46pm

Marca report that Abidal has swine flu, with Toure also displaying symptoms. Ibra out as well for the Atletic match. Those Basque lads are tough cookies but should be a comfortable enough win. I wonder what type of reception Henry will get?

redout · 20-11-2009 4:02pm

fillmore jive wrote: »

Marca report that Abidal has swine flu, with Toure also displaying symptoms. Ibra out as well for the Atletic match. Those Basque lads are tough cookies but should be a comfortable enough win. I wonder what type of reception Henry will get?

I am going the Clasico next weekend and am 100% making a "Le cheat" sign and will vent my anger. This isnt sitting well with me at all. First the chap celebrates like a plank then he admits it was handball but not intentional even though the whole bloody world knows it was then sits with Dunne after the game to play act for the cameras then decides to blame the referee and now issues a statement saying the fairest thing would be a replay but only after FIFA had gone ahead and ruled it out. The guy has done himself more damage than good and has dropped a notch in my estimation not because of the handball itself but because of his conduct in the aftermath which has been nothing short of a disgrace and reeks of him trying to get himself off the hook. Titi you are embarrassing yourself at this stage.

Slash/ED · 20-11-2009 4:21pm

The completely and utterly forgotten Gabby Millto played 45 minutes in a friendly recently by the way after ~2 years of injury hell, that's nice to see

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